CSP 636A, SEMINAR Number of Credit Units: 2, 10 weeks.
Instructors: Marlene De Nardo & Drew Dellinger; Phone number: 510-835-4827 ext 15
Email address: [email protected] ; [email protected]
Course Description: This course will explore our relationship with spirit and the divine through deepened engagement with the natural world.
We will look to the disciplines of Ecofeminism, Ecopsychology and Cosmology for a better understanding of our relationship with the natural world and for ways to deepen and to heal our relationship with the Earth community. Our intention is to promote sustainable, just and mutually enhancing relationships among humans and with the more-than-human world.
Focus: Given that we see ourselves as part of the Planet, how do we humans ‘planet’?
Course Objectives:
· to deepen our relationship and engagement with the Earth community and to experience the natural world as teacher and spiritual guide:
· to explore the basic contours of the scientific understanding of the universe (cosmology ) and to examine the role of worldviews in our ecological crises;
· to recognize the mutuality between psyche and earth, the personal and planetary and to awaken to our “ecological-relational” self;
· to work toward a sustainable culture by developing skills for engaging in mutually enhancing, inclusive and just relationships with all beings/species;
· to reclaim and awaken to the Feminine Principle and develop an awareness of gender justice.
Course Requirements:
1. Punctual class attendance, participation and completion of assignments & readings. (10%)
2. “The Great Work” assignment and presentation. (20%)
3. Eco-practicum: 1 page journal response to earth-centered practicum. (20%)
4. Eco-study: research an area of study and book/bibliography to present to the class. (30%)
5. Final paper (5-7 pages) relating Eco-study to seminar objectives. (20%)
Required readings:
The Great Work, Thomas Berry
The Legacy of Luna, Julia Butterfly Hill
Revolutionary Ecology: Biocentrism & Deep Ecology, Judi Bari (booklet available from Instructors)
Anthologies (selected articles):
Reweaving the World: The Emergence of Eco-Feminism, Irene Diamond & Gloria Orenstein
Eco-Psychology: Restoring the Earth, Healing the Mind, T. Roszak, M. Gomes, A. Kanner
Other articles (available from Instructors).
Ecospirituality, Fall, 2004 page 2
Marlene De Nardo, Drew Dellinger
COURSE OUTLINE
September 7, 2004: Eco-spirituality : The Spirituality of the Earth Community.
What is the Earth’s spirituality? How do we find faith in a dying culture?
Read: The Great Work, Thomas Berry, pages 1-47, Intro, chapters 1-4.
September 14, 2004: Ecospirituality: The Great Work and visionary solutions.
Read: The Great Work, Thomas Berry, pages 48-116. chapters 5-10.
“The Great Work” assignment for completion of Berry’s book.
September 21, 2002: The Sense of the Sacred. Recovering the mystical tradition
What is sacred about the universe? Where is the sacred?
Read: The Legacy of Luna, Julia Butterfly Hill (entire book)
September 28, 2004: Ecofeminism: Reclaiming the Feminine Principle
Read: Reweaving the World: The Emergence of Ecofeminism, Linda Diamond and Gloria Orenstein, tba
October 5, 2004: Ecofeminism: Developing an awareness of Gender Justice
Read: Reweaving the World: The Emergence of Ecofeminism, Linda Diamond and Gloria Orenstein, tba
October 12, 2004: No class -- attendance at Bioneers Conference.
October 15-17: BIONEERS CONFERENCE 2003 (Highly recommended)
“Revolution from the Heart of Nature”, Main Center, San Rafael, CA.
Www.bioneers.org email: [email protected] Phone: 505-986-0366
Toll free: 877-246-6337 Fax 505-986-1644 Fax: 505-986-1644
October 19, 2004: Bioregionalism and Earth Restoration. The Earth Charter.
Can humans relate with other species, and, “think like a mountain”?
Read: “The Earth Charter”; “The Declaration of Interdependence”.
Selected articles: Thinking Like a Mountain, Macy, Seed
October 26-30, 2004: STUDY WEEK . No class.
Course Outline (continued) page 3
De Nardo & Dellinger, Instructors
November 2, 2004: Deep Ecology and Systems View of the World.
The post-corporate world and species maturity. Is there life after
Capitalism?
Read: “ Revolutionary Ecology: Biocentrism and Deep Ecology”, Judi Bari
“ Coming Back to Life”, J. Macy, chapter 3 (Xeroxed)
Student presentations: “The Great Work”
November 9, 2004: Ecopsychology: Healing our society, culture and our psyches.
Is there a connection between spiritual practice and social activism?
What is well being? Health? “When the Earth Hurts, who Responds?”
Read: Ecopsychology: Restoring the Earth, Healing the Mind, Theodore
Roszak, Mary Gomes, Allen Kanner, editors. tba
November 16, 2004: Ecopsychology. Healing the web of life.
Animals as teachers and spiritual directors.
What are the Dolphins Saying? Council of all Beings.
Read: Ecopsychology: Restoring the Earth, Healing the Mind, Roszak, et al, tba
Selected articles.
November 23, 2004: HOLIDAY: THANKSGIVING WEEK
November 30, 2004: The Sacred Earth – Partnership or Perish – Keeping Faith.
Treasures for the road: Student presentations.
December 7, 2004: Final Paper due.
“How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land? This idea is strange to us. If we do not own the freshness of the air and the sparkle of the water, how can we buy them?”
(Attributed to Chief Seattle)
“I call heaven and earth to record this day to your account, that I have set before you
life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both you and your seed shall live.”
(Deuteronomy, 30,19)
ADDITIONAL REFERENCE BOOKS
Recommended Texts:
Coming Back To Life: Practices to Reconnect Our Lives, Our World, Joanna Macy and Molly Brown
World as Lover, World as Self, Joanna Macy
Thinking Like a Mountain, J. Macy, John Seed, et al
Dharma Gaia, A Harvest of Essays in Buddhism and Ecology, Allan Badiner, editor
Silent Spring, Rachel Carson
Thinking Like a Mountain, John Seed, Joanna Macy, et al
All Our Relations, Winnona La Duke
Women and Nature: The Roaring Inside Her, Susan Griffin
The Spell of the Sensuous, David Abram
Radical Ecology: The Search for a Livable World, Carolyn Merchant
Agriculture: Spiritual Foundations for the Renewal of Agriculture, Rudolf Steiner
Defending Mother Earth: Native American Perspectives on Environmental Justice, Jace Weaver, Editor
The Lost Gospel of the Earth, A Call for Renewing Nature, Spirit and Politics, Tom Hayden
The Sacred Balance, Rediscovering Our Place in Nature, David Suzuki
Communities Directory: A Guide to Intentional Communities & Cooperative Living
The Ecology of Commerce: A Declaration of Sustainability, Paul Hawken
The Post-Corporate World: Life After Capitalism, David C. Korten
When Corporations Ruled the World, D. Korten
Restoring the Earth: Visionary Solutions from the Bioneers, Kenny Ausubel
Buddha’s Nature; A Practical Guide to Discovering your Place in the Cosmos, Wes Nisker
Longing for Running Waters, Ivone Gebara
·
The Attentive Heart, Conversations with Trees, Stephanie Kaza
Earth, Sky, Gods & Mortals, Developing an Ecological Spirituality, Jay Mc Daniel
The Dream of the Earth, Thomas Berry
The Universe Story, Thomas Berry and Brian Swimme
Earthcare, Women and Environment, Carolyn Merchant
Ecology and Liberation, Leonardo Boff
Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor, Leonardo Boff
Staying Alive: Women, Ecology and Development, Vandana Shiva
Ecofeminism, Maria Mies and Vandana Shiva
Women, The Earth, The Divine, Eleanor Rae
Webs of Power: Notes from the Global Uprising, Starhawk
Truth or Dare, Starhawk
Green Politics: The Global Promise, Charlene Spretnak
My Name is Chellis & I’m in Recovery from Western Civilization, Chellis Glendinning
The Voice of the Earth, Theodore Roszak
Earth Wisdom, Dolores LaChapelle
Sacred Land, Sacred Sex, Rapture of the Deep, Dolores LaChapelle
Our Ecological Footprint: Reducing Human Impact on the Earth, M. Wachernagel & William Rees
Note:
Naropa University-Oakland will provide accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. To request an accommodation, or to discuss any learning needs you may have, contact the Dean of Students, (510) 835-4827 ext 15.